Schaff's Bible Dictionary
EPHE'SIANS, the citizens of Ephesus. Acts 19:28. Epistle to, was written by Paul to the Christians at Ephesus. The church in that renowned city was established and built up under Paul's ministry, Acts 18:19, Rev 18:21; Acts 19, during the years 54-57. d. 62, while he was in prison at Rome, and forwarded by Tychicus, a beloved brother and faithful minister. Eph 6:21. While other Epistles of Paul were evidently called forth by the circumstances of the church to which they were addressed, this Epistle is of a general character, and was intended for a number of congregations in Asia Minor.
" The succeeding prayer is surely one of the most marvellous outbursts of the apostle's piety, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The main doctrinal thought of the Epistle is the Church in Christ Jesus, the eternal principles of her life, her unity of many members, her warfare and her victory, her steady growth, and her glorious end.
Hence, in the hortatory portion, or last three chapters, he urges the duty of preserving unity, and makes the relation of Christ to his Church and of the Church to Christ the ideal standard of the domestic relation between man and wife and parents and children. The Epistle to the Colossians was written at the same time. Hence there is great similarity between them. See Colossians, Epistle to.